Ryan Baraniuk, a marketer for the international food processing company Arla Foods, has highlighted the varying perceptions and practices of sustainability in food production across different countries.
Speaking at the Professional Dairy Producers Dairy Insights Summit in Madison, Wisconsin, Baraniuk shared insights into how sustainability efforts are not uniform globally.
In Arla Foods’ core European markets, consumers often make purchasing decisions based on the sustainable nature of food packaging and production. A significant factor for these consumers is the ability to trace the product’s journey from processing to on-farm emission reductions.
This level of environmental consciousness shapes their buying habits, reflecting a deep integration of sustainability into consumer preferences.
Contrastingly, in developing countries, sustainability is not typically a primary consideration in purchasing decisions. Baraniuk notes that consumers in regions like South Africa, Southeast Asia, or Bangladesh are often faced with the decision of whether to pay extra for sustainably produced products.
In these areas, the immediate cost of products tends to outweigh sustainability considerations in consumer decision-making.
In North America, Baraniuk observes that sustainable food production resonates strongly with younger buyers, particularly millennials and Generation Z. These demographics are increasingly seeking assurance that both farms and brands are committed to sustainable practices, and this influences their purchasing choices.
Baraniuk warns that if the food production system does not adapt to become more sustainable, the industry risks alienating what will become the primary buyers of food products in the future.
His insights underscore the importance of understanding diverse consumer attitudes towards sustainability and adapting food production practices accordingly to meet these varying demands and expectations.
Arla Foods, through its marketing and production strategies, is navigating these diverse global perspectives on sustainability, aiming to align its practices with the evolving consumer trends and environmental considerations in different regions.
